Cyrano de Bergerac

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1897

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Summary

Background

Act Summaries & Analyses

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Act 5

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Symbols & Motifs

Moon

The moon, a favorite symbol of poets for many centuries, plays a large role in Cyrano de Bergerac. It has many meanings—the moon functions as Cyrano’s true friend, a representation of his desires as well as a witness to his acts of bravery and wit. The moon also symbolizes beauty and irrationality, and Cyrano finds it to be a useful tool in diversion.

The longest discussion of the moon is when Cyrano distracts Guiche while Roxane marries Christian. Cyrano says, “I fell out of the moon!” (138), which causes Guiche to call him “mad” (138). Their discussion about the various methods of traveling to the moon is an allusion to Astolfo from the Italian romance Orlando Furioso traveling to the moon to recover Orlando’s wits and restore his rationality. Cyrano’s diversion connects the moon to the morning dew, mirrors, rockets, smoke, the goddess Diana, magnets, and the sea.

In other parts of the play, Cyrano dreams of his beloved “Walking with little steps under the moon, / And holding my arm” (49), describes the “blue moonbeams” (56) in the city of Paris as he goes to fight Lignière’s enemies, and describes said fight with “Overhead, the moon / Hung like a gold watch at the fob of heaven” (93). The moon plays an important role as his friend when Cyrano is dying at the end of Act 5. After Le Bret mentions how the moon has always been a “friend” (224) to Cyrano, Cyrano describes his coming death as, “my moonbeam comes to carry me away” (226).

The Fool

The “fool” as a symbol draws from the French tradition of the court jester—someone who wears the cap and bells and are referred to by other poets (such as W. B. Yeats). The “fool” entertains and is able to speak truths that other people cannot because of his low status.

Christian is frequently referred to as a “fool.” He says, “I am a fool! / Stupid enough to hang myself” (98). Other people also refer to him as a “fool,” such as Guiche (111). More generally, beautiful men are considered “fools.” Roxane says, “You think a man / Who has a handsome face must be a fool” (106). In Act 4, shortly before his untimely death, Christian declares that he wants Roxane’s “love / For the poor fool I am—or not at all!” (191).

Less frequently, Cyrano is referred to as a “fool.” In Act 5, when Roxane begins to realize that Cyrano wrote Christian’s letters, she says, “the dear foolish words— / That was you” (220). This is an example of foolishness being part of love, especially the epistolary language of love.

Food

Food is a motif that develops the theme of Unrequited Love. For instance, in the last letter Cyrano writes using Christian’s name, he says, “[M]y eyes drink the sight of you like wine” (218). Food is also frequently associated with poetry, developing the theme of Artistry Versus Commercialism. Act 2, set in Ragueneau’s bakery, includes extensive discussion of food, such as rolls, cakes, beef casserole, and much more. Ragueneau laments that he must “Lay down the lute—the oven calls for thee!” (58). Food, rather than poetry (represented by the lute), is how he survives, yet he values art over his commercial endeavors.

Food also marks moments of tragedy. In Act 4, when the Cadets are at the front, they end up starving and longing for food. The Fifth Cadet says, “My coronet for half a pound of cheese!” (153). In Act 5, the nuns discuss Cyrano’s poverty as him claiming that he “ate meat yesterday” (203) when he, in fact, “had not eaten / Anything, for two days” (204). Cyrano’s determination to create art for art’s sake rather than accept patronage or make anything commercial causes him to starve.